Summer tourism is leading to a sharp increase in the amount of plastic ending up in the Mediterranean Sea, new research shows. Analysis for the WWF to mark United Nations World Oceans Day reveals there is a 40% increase in marine litter during the tourist season, and almost all of it is plastic.
Sky News reports that more than 200 million people a year visit the Med, but a combination of litter on the beaches and poor waste management is making the sea one of the most polluted in the world. It holds 1% of the world’s water, but contains 7% of all micro-plastic.
Tanya Steele, chief executive at WWF, said: “The Mediterranean is a beautiful holiday destination enjoyed by millions of British people each summer, but when we come home with our happy memories we’re leaving behind a toxic legacy of plastic waste. The birds, fish, and turtles of the Mediterranean are choking on plastic.
WWF is appealing to holidaymakers to ditch straws, not to use wet wipes and think twice about buying inflatable pool toys.
